Hillingdon Council leader calls for HS2 'rethink'

HILLINGDON Council is calling for a 'rethink' on HS2 in light of last week's Transport Select Committee report.

The report praised the principle of high speed rail, but was lukewarm on the merits of the specific HS2 project.

The committee, made up of a cross-party group of MPs, supported calls for for rail link to pass directly through Heathrow Airport, rather than a spur off the main route.

This could potentially give a reprieve to parts of Ruislip and Harefield which would be most affected by the construction and implementation of the 250mph high speed line.

Council Leader Ray Puddifoot, said: "HS2 is not viable and needs a complete rethink. It would be sheer folly for the Government to press ahead with committing £32 billion of taxpayers' money to this unfeasible and unjustifiable scheme.

"We will continue to press the Government and the new Transport Secretary to re-think the proposals.

"In the current economic climate, there are better ways to spend money on revitalising the economy, such as improving existing lines and other transport projects which would bring immediate benefits to the economy."

Councillor Puddifoot is also the vice-chairman of the 51M group of local authorities situated along the route, and has pledged to take the case to judicial review at the High Court to fight the project if it is approved in December by Transport Secretary Justine Greening MP.